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Sarah Remmer, registered dietitian and owner of Nutrio Consulting, believes that when it comes to eating holiday food, we all need to relax.

Her motto might be summed up as: stress less, enjoy more.

"If people are trying to eat healthy and exercise lots, there's probably a lot of guilt surrounding the holidays," she says.

"People are worried they're going to fall off track and ruin their diet. What I say to clients is, 'Enjoy yourself over the holidays.' "

That's some welcome advice, especially coming from a nutrition expert, but it does come with caveats.

Here they are:

Indulge only in the treats that you absolutely love

Adore shortbread cookies? Have one or two of those, then, but bypass the gingerbread and the fudge. And savour every bite.

Do your best to maintain a balanced diet

At every meal, make sure you have a whole grain or starch, a fruit or a vegetable and a source of protein. As for the right portion sizes, follow Remmer's great tip: picture your dinner plate as one big smiley face, with the two eyes representing space for the meat and starch and the big smile the space for the vegetables. "That's a fun way to think about your plate," she says. And it's helpful, especially at dinners where you'll be faced with all kinds of tasty foods. Fill half your plate with veggies right off the bat, and you'll be in good shape.

Don't think this yummy turkey dinner will be your last

"We think, 'It's Christmas dinner, so I have to make the most of it,' " says Remmer. "You'll still have leftovers. It's not like it's going anywhere." And when the leftovers run out, rest assured there will be other turkey dinners in your future. Eat slowly, enjoy every flavour and stop as soon as you feel satisfied. "After you're done your first helping, wait 10 or 15 minutes and have a glass of water and then re-evaluate whether you need to go back for more," she says.

If you're the one serving dinner, try this: don't put the dishes on the table

Instead, put them on the counter and have people serve themselves there. "If the food is on the table, staring you in the face, you're going to want seconds just because you see it, not because you need it."

Be realistic about your weight loss goals

"If you have a weight loss goal, I'd put that on hold over the holidays," says Remmer. "A weight maintenance goal may be more realistic."

Try to keep up some form of exercise for 30 minutes every day

"You probably won't get as much exercise over the holidays as you usually do," she says. "Try to do a little bit every day, even if it's playing out in the snow with your kids or going skating." Those small bursts of activity will help torch some of the calories from those shortbread cookies.

If you do over-indulge with food, don't beat yourself up

Remind yourself you don't do it every day, says Remmer, and move on. "(The holiday season) is two or three weeks out of 52," she says.

"It's a small percentage of the year, so don't feel too guilty about overindulging."

mmagnan@theherald. canwest.com

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Make a healthier holiday meal

Follow these tips from Rory Hornstein, registered dietitian with the Glencoe Club in Calgary, and you'll lighten your meal's caloric punch.

- Turkey: Choose a turkey that is not self-basting. Use a roasting bag to keep the turkey moist, rather than basting.

- Gravy: Use a fat-skimmer cup or freeze the juices in a shallow pan so you can remove the fat. Do this and you'll save approximately 56 grams of fat per cup.

- Green bean casserole: Cook fresh green beans with chunks of potatoes. Use fat-free or half-and-half milk instead of cream soup. Top with almonds instead of the fried onion rings.

- Mashed potatoes: Use skim milk, garlic powder and a little Parmesan cheese instead of whole milk and butter. If you still want a buttery taste, use low-calorie margarine instead of butter.

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